For people who liked the post about the train park in CA, there are some American events that pit bicyclists against trains. There is one in TX but I can't remember the name of it at the moment. If someone could remind me, please post. I think it ran in NE TX or E TX, and pitted riders against a steam train averaging about 25mph, with cyclists on hilly roads. I think it was in Tyler or Palestine.

1988 article describes the race, I suppose as it continues today, as many annual events repeat. Bikers Racing Against an Iron Horse - Los Angeles Times
"They know they can't win it," Crandall says, "but the long hills and high passes are a real challenge. The first pass is tough. The second is a killer, peaking six miles from the finish, with a six-mile downhill run from there at 55 to 60 m.p.h. A lot of racers sprint to the finish."

Although the first 18 miles are relatively flat, some steep grades precede the approach to 10,640-foot Coal Bank Pass at mile 36. Mile 44 is reached at the top of 10,900-foot Molas Pass, before a rapid, serpentine downhill into the tiny mining town of Silverton.

Here is a 32 mile road bicycle race against a train, in Watonga, Oklahoma, with a cheese festival afterward. Race The Railhttp://www.kansascyclist.com/img/res...aceTheRail.jpg
I do not know if the route is hilly, but the train is supposed to average 10-15mph due to "track limitations". A festive ride with cheese and wine tasting from Oklahoma businesses, sounds like a good time!

You can ziptie this to your helmet vents, or find various ways to velcro it to a helmet or clamp it to a handlebar (including the old standby of 2 hose clamps, some rubber shims, with one clamp through the other)

I have this one (narrow spot) and it's wonderfully made (aluminum body) with gold corrosion-free contacts, digital output control, tail-cap switch. It's too narrow for biking, and blindingly bright, but I've used it as a backup to other lighting systems. Worth every penny at $40. It does run over 24 hours with common AAA batteries, does quite well even with $1 store batteries.

You can run this off a 6v square lantern battery, using insulated alligator clips. Also, you can make a battery pack by using radioshack battery trays for D or AA batteries, and stash it in a handlebar roll bag.

They have some other dynamo 12v lights for $40, some nice metal bullet lights AA with rocker switches, flashlight/tail blinker combos, etc.

Here is a yellow dive/tackle light that is supposed to be the same thing as the $50 coast light, even resembling some Coast models with the diver on the side, plus you can get it in colors : red / black / blue /green
$12 shipped from China, takes about 1month to get it.

Wouldn't surprise me if it is the same darn thing, without the fancy packaging. I guess we'll see before Christmas if it's a deal or dud!

Have you tried the Magicshine lights? The most useful thing I've ever bought for bike commuting, along with the AirZound .

Hum since we're talking about components I got a problem. It concerns a Crankbrother clipless pedal (I know how surprising ).

Let me explain, last week the retention spring died on the non drive side pedal while I was in the middle of nowhere, alone in an unknown country following a route on the gps . At first I was really pissed off but it turned out to be a relief, for 2 weeks my bike was creaking and during this time I was like "where the hell is this creak", a bit concerned due to the fact I'm riding a cannondale with a well known issue of swing arm creaking. Thanks to the Lord I'll keep riding a lovely handmade in USA aluminum ride.

After looking for a new spring on the internet, not that easy in Europe but not impossible either I found out that an o-ring was missing .

The right one on the center metal core :

And for sure that o-ring is so exotic it's impossible to get one and the crankbrother french distributor don't give a damn about that o-ring. If you know a website where I can buy this o-ring help me . Oh and I'm riding Candy SL with ward industries titanium axles (that's why I want that o-ring so bad ).

If Crank Bros. won't help you, ask a dentist (orthodontist) for that o-ring, seriously. When I had braces I had bags of various o-rings for all the different attachments prescribed by the orthodontist.

Also, automotive parts stores might have it, but you will have to hunt for it.

You should look into what lubricant is required for the pedals. I would think silicone spray lube or chain lube or gun lube ought to work, for the squeaking problems and to reduce wear.

I haven't tried the MagicShine but I've heard pretty good reviews, if you're talking about the $100 unit with the big battery. I heard they sent out a batch of bad batteries a few years ago, but offered replacement with a recall.

Speaking of hard to find parts, the little hinge ratchet plastic goober on my HP11 has been hard to track down, so I ended up making a V-shaped bracket from a 1 x3" steel scrap (came from a utility knife handle lol) and using industrial strength double adhesive tape to hold it in position. The light works now, but it's not so perfectly pretty. Long as it holds! The company I bought it from (batteryjunction) said they'd track down the parts and tell me the price. If it's over $10, I'll just hot glue the sucker! (then it can be re-heated with nozzle to change position if ever needed)https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?
q=tbn:ANd9GcTmJeZtH1iD7AFE-Cehj96hunqrVeiW3MGu_-hSXO_5kcEMvO_X

...You should look into what lubricant is required for the pedals. I would think silicone spray lube or chain lube or gun lube ought to work, for the squeaking problems and to reduce wear...

Modern pedals have access caps at the outer bearing ends. The better pedals have adjustable bearings, instead of the ones which get the axle ends riveted by some machine. I remove the caps and generously douse the bearings with used engine oil. I then clamp the pedals into a vise and wait until the seeps out of the inner seal.
The engine oil is a wonderfull lubricant and it also softens hardened grease.
One of our German comrades got busted last year for filming Multi-ethnic cesspools from his bicycle and loading up the video including racist comments. He was using one of these devices:

The gps fail you post is hilarious. I don't deserve any extra credit for riding in an unknown country with my gps, it's not any gps it's a garmin device dedicated to cycling and it does the job! And where you're in the middle of nowhere in Europe it's not for a long time.

Anyway thanks for the orthodontist tip, it was my first idea but I thought they only got elastics, I guess I was wrong . Don't worry about the lubricants or the grease I'm using with cranks, I'm servicing the pedals by the book and I'm greasing them on a regular basis, every 150 miles with a grease gun. A spring each 6000 miles and 1 or 2 rebuilt kit each year and a new pair of cleats every 10 months that's what my Candy's cost me. I know I should go for Time, especially because they are designed and made in France by white Europeans but I really like the way my crankbrother pedals word despite the lack of reliability.

And I've paid $75 a year ago for This Magicshine. I won't regret it: powerful, long-life battery, waterproof, handlebar and helmet mounts.